Acronis Releases Free, AI-based Ransomware Protection

Acronis shares its unique AI-based technology Acronis Active Protection, which numerous independent tests have ranked the most effective and reliable ransomware protection technology on the market, in the form of a free Acronis Ransomware Protection product, striving to eradicate ransomware.

Acronis, a global leader in hybrid cloud data protection and storage, today released Acronis Ransomware Protection, a free, stand-alone version of its unique AI-based Acronis Active Protection technology, which stops ransomware attacks in real-time and helps users to recover data without paying the ransom.

Recent ransomware attacks exposed the vulnerability of endpoint devices, showing that new strains of ransomware can easily bypass traditional anti-virus software to encrypt user data. Acronis Ransomware Protection provides an additional level of defense that can be used together with other data protection solutions already installed on the device, such as anti-virus and backup software. It monitors system processes in real-time to automatically detect and stop the attacks other solutions can’t. In event of a ransomware attack, Acronis Ransomware Protection blocks the malicious process and notifies the user with a popup. If any files were damaged in the attack, it facilitates the instant recovery of those affected files.

Acronis Ransomware Protection also comes with a cloud backup capability, allowing users to protect important files not only from ransomware, but also from hardware failure, natural disasters and other causes of data loss. Every user receives 5 GB of free Acronis Cloud storage.

Easy to install, Acronis Ransomware Protection is essentially a “set it and forget it” protection solution. The lightweight program (only 20MB) requires limited system resources, which means it can run quietly in the background without affecting system performance. Acronis Ransomware Protection is also compatible with all popular backup and anti-virus programs, enabling users to add a robust layer of protection without modifying their existing setup.

A silent killer

Ransomware remains a silent destroyer of data for users worldwide. According to a ransomware survey conducted by Acronis earlier this month, 48.3 percent of U.S. respondents still don't know that ransomware can wipe their files and disable computer. Only 8.1 percent of the respondents heard about the WannaCry or Petya attacks last year, and 43.5 percent report that they don’t know how to protect their data or choose to do nothing.

These findings demonstrate a need for an easy, universal ransomware protection solution, and 56.3 percent of the survey respondents said that they would use one if it was free.

Proven technology

The new solution is based on Acronis Active Protection, which numerous independent tests have ranked the most effective and reliable ransomware protection technology on the market. Acronis stops thousands of attacks every month, saving people’s precious family photos, videos, and important documents. There are many ways to test the effectiveness of the free Acronis Ransomware Protection solution, including the ransomware simulator from RanSim.

Built on that battle-tested technology, Acronis Ransomware Protection uses unique behavioral heuristics enhanced by machine learning (ML) models, which are generated by analyzing hundreds of thousands of malicious and legitimate processes in Acronis’ dedicated Cloud AI infrastructure. Those models are incorporated directly into the Acronis Ransomware Protection product, so it protects a system’s data independently, without the need for an internet connection. This AI-based functionality is tremendously effective at defeating all ransomware strains, including zero-day attacks that signature-based solutions cannot detect.

“Acronis is deeply concerned by what the explosion of ransomware means to businesses and consumers worldwide,” said Serguei Beloussov, co-founder, and CEO of Acronis. “Our mission is data protection and ransomware puts everyone’s data at risk. With Acronis Ransomware Protection, we’re making ransomware a less viable tool for criminals, and protecting the data of individuals, families, and businesses.”